Means for determining the temperature of internal-combustion engines



March 9 1926.

S. A. FOSTER MEANS FOR DETERMINING THE TEMPERATURE OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed March 1925 NVEN TOR. M a. 7'

BY fi i/ M ATTORNEY.'

Patented Mar. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SHUIBEL A. FOSTER, OF FERNDALE, MICHIGAN.

Application filed March 21, 1925. Serial N10. 17,188.

'1. 0 (1 107mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, SHUnnn A. Fosrnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ferndale, county ofOakland, State of Miclr igan, have invented a certain new and useful Improven'ient in Means for Determining the 'llemperature of Interntil-Combustion Engines, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to .a device adapted to be mounted upon an instrument board for indicating the temperature of the cooling medium circulating through the water jacket of an internal combustion engine shown in the accompanying drawings and more particularly described in the following specification and claim.

Heretofore it has been customary to mount temperature indicators upon the radiator in place of the usual removable closure cap, to indicate the temperature of the motor. 7

It is well known however that devices of the type referred to do not function properly to show the temperature of the water or other cooling medium circulating through the jacket of the engine for the reason that the bulb of the thermometer is not always submerged in the cooling fluid and furthermore is more or less exposed to the cooling action of cold air striking the upper walls of the radiator in which it is supported.

A further objection to devices of this kind is that under'the most favorable conditions they do not function until the engine has been operating for a considerable period sufi'icient to produce a marked rise in the temperature of the chamber at the top of the radiator ,int'o whichthe bulb of th thermometer projects.

A further objection to devices of this character is that the water in the radiator may be frozen or its circulation otherwise impeded or obstructed due to a stoppage in the radiator" or the pipes connecting the radiator with the water acket of the engine cylinder without that fact being indicated.

A. further objection to devices of this kind is that being mounted as they are upon the top of the radiator they become the ready prey of maliciously inclined persons who may seek to remove the motor meter or indicator from the radiator.

The present invention therefore is designed to provide a temperature indicator adapted to be mounted upon the instrument boar-d where it may be readily inspected at all times by the driver of the car and be pro tected' against theft.

A further object of the'invention is to connect the indicator with the water jacket of the engine at apoint relatively close to the instrument board that a comparatively short lead may connect it with the water jacketanother pipe connection being made between the device and the pipe leading from the radiator tothe circulating pump. The object in thus installing the device is to insure a correct reading of the tempera ture of the cirulating cooling medium at all times and particularly that in the water jacket following the operation of the motor.

It will be apparent that the device will readily determine whether there is any stoppage of the passage through which the cooling medium circulatesas in the event of the circulating medium freezing in the radi-s ator or stoppage occurring in the pipes leading from the radiator to the water jacket the water can not circulate and the indicator will not function. On the other hand in the case of devices mounted directly upon the radiator the water may be frozen or it may become low but this fact would not be determined from an inspection of the indicator. In the present device if: the water runs low in the radiat .r, the indicator will register a higher temperature than normal due to the relatively small volume of cooling medium'becoming superheated. If how ever the cooling medium should freeze in the radiator the indicator would not function at all and the operator would know at once that trouble was due to freezing or other stoppage of the pipes.

Vith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds the invention further resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and inthe deta ls of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes may be made in the precise embodiment of the invention herein dis closed without departing from the spirit of the same.

In the drawings accompanying this specification:

Figure 1 is a diagrannnatic View showing in side elevation an internal combustion enine, a radiator, water pipe connections leading to and from the radiator to the water jacket of the engine under the: control of a pump, also the temperature indicator, supported in the instrument board and connected by piping with the water jacket of the engine and with the pipe connection bet-ween the radiator and the wateripump.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of'the indicator.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through-the indicator shown'in Figure 2,

secured to a fragment of the instrument board of an automobile.

Referring now to the lettersof reference placed upon the drawings A denotes an internal combustion engine 'B a radiator o1 usual construction-C a circulating pipe leading from-the bottom ot' the radiator to the water jacket'of the'cnginc C a pipe leading'ttrom the water jacl ct to the top of the radiator.

D indicates a pump in line with thepipe C, to insure a proper circulation of thewater through the engine. and radiator.

E denotes the instrument board of amotor vehicle.

I! designates a temperatureindicator se cnredto the ii'istrument board comprising at'raine G having a closed chamber G into which the bulb H of a tl'iermometer H projects.

l represents a water seal of suitable material surrounding the tubeof the ther1nome-- ter in the partition wall of the closed chanr bcr.

J denotes a cover plate'having. an annular flange J, in which is set a concaro-convex window or lensK.

IA indicates a split 'ing lodgecbin a groore in theannula r flange of the frame J adapted to overlap the windowK, to see re the same :i.;;(...iiist accidental dislodgement.

iii de ignates a gasket inserted between the cover plate J and frame G.

N denote bolts projecting through the 1 12... the cover plate and instrument board to connect and secure'the"severalpartstogether.

P indicates agraduated dial sheetor plate located between-the stem o'i -the'therin'ometer and the rear wall of the device.

Q denotes a pipeleadingtrom'the water ofmeasuring relative temperatures may rsvavso Q into the closed chamber G into which the bulb of the thermometer projects and thence out throu 'h the pipe it to the pipe connection C, between the radiator and -water circulating pump the water being forced by the latter back to the water j acket otthe engine.

t 'l 'l tltl""l .1 mi now )c seen 1a un ess tie pas sage for the cooling medium 1s obstructed either by freezing or other cause the device willind-icatc thetemperature of the water as: it is in the Water-jacket of the engine, but it the passage throu ljh the radiator or pipe is obstructed itwill beat once apparent as the indicator will'not function.

lVhile a thermometer co 'iprising the usual tube and-bulb has been shown it is evident that any deviceadapted to be housed wit-hinthe indicator tramecapablc be employed if. preferred.

Having thus described my invention what I claim'is:

In a device ofthe character described an indicatorframe adapted for attachment to 'the instrument board of a motor vehicle 'having an outwardly projecting closed chamber provided w th inlet and outle o fices; athermometer tube supportedin the wall of the indicator frame with its bulb extending'into said closed chamber; means adapted to PEO'fl'llQ a water seal between the thermometer tube and the wall through which it extendsya'corer plate having a opening surrounded by an annular rim; a

sign this. snecili- "SHUBEL A. FOSQ'Erl.

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